Mentorship

From 2020 to 2023, I served as the Graduate Student Coordinator for the Emerging Scholars Program, mentoring a total of 34 undegraduate students. Emerging Scholars provides undergraduate students with a unique year-long opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge gained from courses at UMass Lowell to a faculty member’s on-going research while enhancing knowledge of research methods, technical skills, and research presentation. As Student Coordinator, my tasks included closely monitoring the academic evolution of the participating students, fostering community within the program, solving any arising conflicts, and delivering monthly workshops on research methods to their cohorts.

From 2023 to the present, I have served as a Student Academic Advisor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Honors College at UMass Lowell, advising a diverse group of 280 students across nine different majors. In this role, I guide students through their academic journey, offering personalized advice to help them navigate course selections, honors requirements, and research opportunities. I am committed to supporting students in achieving academic success while fostering a strong sense of community within the Honors College. Additionally, I served as a Thesis Committee Advisor for two undergraduate students in Political Science—Sebastian Hutchison and Michael Kubit—both expected to graduate in 2024, providing mentorship and critical feedback throughout their thesis development process.

Recently, I have also had the privilege of leading two research projects in collaboration with undergraduate students, marking a significant milestone as the first PhD candidate permitted to head undergraduate research teams within the Honors College at UMass Lowell. In the Spring of 2024, I led a project with Sebastian Hutchison focusing on Russian narratives of expansionism, where we explored historical and contemporary discourses shaping Russia’s geopolitical strategies. In the Fall of 2024, I led a project with Dylan Goldberg and Shirley Rodriguez examining ontological security and national slogans, investigating how these slogans reflect and shape national identities, anxieties, and political agendas. These leadership roles allowed me to mentor students through rigorous academic inquiry, guiding them in research design, data analysis, and the development of critical theoretical frameworks. Both projects not only deepened my own expertise but also contributed to the academic and professional growth of the participating students.